Fig Tart with Bleu Cheeze Cream and Balsamic – “Honey” Drizzle

There’s just something about figs… They’re so beautiful, and they seem to effortlessly dress up any recipe. I see them at the farmers’ market, and I have to have them. Maybe it’s because they’re often served with things like bacon and bleu cheeze, and I’m a sucker for sweet and savory combos.

I’m also a sucker for simple recipes that taste greater than the sum of their parts, so with my latest batch of figs I wanted to make something simple and elegant using flavors that are classically paired with figs, but in a new way.

I decided to use up some of the puff pastry I had waiting in my freezer for just such an occasion. I also had some Suzanne’s “Just like Honey” rice nectar that I was dying to try. For the bleu cheeze I used my trusted Sunergia Soy Bleu, and even though it was really tasty on its own with dates, I wanted a creamier consistency so I blended it with some non-dairy cream cheese.

Now I realize that this recipe relies mostly on pre-made vegan products, but I wanted it to be just as simple to make for vegans as it is for non-vegans. This is crazy delicious and crazy easy to throw together, so it’s perfect for parties or when you want to impress people with how elegant vegan food can be. You could serve this as an appetizer or even as a dessert.

In a food processor, blend the bleu and cream cheeses with the honey substitute or agave nectar, until smooth and creamy.

Roll the puff pastry out just a bit to even the layers, and then evenly spread the cheese mixture on top, leaving a 1-inch border around the outside. Arrange the figs on top of the cheese mixture – you can overlap them if you’d like.

Bake in the preheated oven for 15-20 minutes, or until the puff pastry is golden.

Remove from the oven and drizzle the balsamic vinegar and honey substitute or agave over the top of the tart. Serve warm or at room temperature.

If you have any leftovers, you can store them in the fridge and reheat in a 350 degree oven for 8 minutes or so.

Oh my gosh! This look great, so fancy, just perfect for a fancy dinner…I’m curious if you know of a good recipe for homemade vegan bleu cheeze? Anyways I’m definitely trying this as part of a ‘woo my family’ meal.

That looks gorgeous! So simple, yet very elegant. I also love the sweet & savory combo, and blue cheese was one of my favorite things in my pre-vegan days. I am definitely going to look for the Sunergia brand and try this recipe out!

Hi, Amy! I got the bleu cheeze at Whole Foods in Sherman Oaks. I’ve seen it at both the east and west locations, but you might want to call before you go there to make sure they have it. Those are both pretty small stores, so I’m assuming the larger ones would carry it too?

Thanks Kim! I usually go to Sherman Oaks East, but I didn’t expect it at a small one so I went to Glendale instead which didn’t have it Until next time, I made a sweeter version which I posted on my blog! Thanks for the recipe! http://bit.ly/9UxlZb